Child marriage ban- Oregon makes a legislative move
Oregon is on the path to outlawing child marriage with the introduction of Senate Bill 548, which seeks to prohibit individuals under 18 from marrying, even with parental consent. Presently, Oregon permits 17-year-olds to marry if they have a guardian’s approval. As reported by OPB, the bill has garnered bipartisan support, passing unanimously in the Senate Judiciary Committee and now awaits a Senate floor vote.
“I was isolated and trapped”
Between 2000 and 2021, an estimated 3,600 minors married in Oregon, with 83% being girls who wed men about four years older. The risks associated with underage marriage are detrimental, including limited legal rights for minors to escape abusive relationships and potential exploitation by older spouses. Stories from individuals such as Amy Turpin, who married at 17 after having her new husband’s child at 16, underscores these concerns.
Turpin testified that her husband quickly isolated her after their wedding, taking her away from her home state before she turned 18. Without legal protections, she had no means to leave. She also described how he took control of her finances, leaving her with no access to her own money.
“He moved me out of state immediately before I was 18, so I was isolated and trapped…The first day banks were open after the wedding, he closed my accounts. So he got every bit of my earnings. Every worst-case scenario you can imagine has probably happened to me since then.”